Because it�s got twelve-foot ceilings and six-foot doorframes! WHY?!?!

I don�t know, but it certainly imparts a certain humility upon those of us gifted with height. Humility, and head trauma.

We also saw the other gardens at Ryoanji- very impressive, and filled with turtles. There�s a graveyard, though it too is hidden in a �don�t look� cranny, that no doubt keeps out the idle tourist. Creepiest of all, not a hundred yards from the archetypal Zen Garden is a crematorium housing the ashes of the Japanese war dead from Burma. Yikes.

No pics of that one, folks.

Having had enough �creepy� and �holy� vibe for the day, we bussed back to Sanjo Keihan, the young-folks� district. This is an awesome part of Kyoto- it�s a mix of the ultramodern flair of Tokyo with a shrine poking out every three feet. Game Center, Bar, Pachinko, Dance Club, Shop, Shrine, Shop. SHRINE?!

My coordinator took me out for some traditional Japanese fare- okonomiyake (like a Japanese cross between an omelet and a pancake) and yaki-udon (fried noodles). Here�s a picture- the worm-lookin� stuff is Yaki-udon, and it�s REALLY, REALLY good.